Royal Oak commissioner's resignation puts end to ethics probe

(File photo)
Former Royal Oak Commissioner Pat Capello was being investigated for allegations that she bullied employees of the Royal Oak Animal Shelter while she was on a committee overseeing the donation-dependent facility.

Royal Oak officials dropped the ethics investigation into Pat Capello following her resignation last week from the City Commission.

City Attorney David Gillam recommended the move. He had retained a retired judge to look into allegations that Capello bullied employees of the Royal Oak Animal Shelter while she was on a committee overseeing the donation-dependent facility.

Capello was accused of violating the city's ethic ordinance and city charter by former shelter employees.

Gillam said the city hadn't spent any money on the investigation and with Capello's resignation he didn't see a need to continue.

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"The issue has never been with the operation of the animal shelter, whether it is efficient, or whether it could be better or worse," Gillam said. "The issue is the conduct of this particular individual. In light of the resignation, I think that's kind of a moot point."

Capello resigned May 20 in a surprise announcement at the end of a routine meeting. She cited personal reasons, including the health of her husband and son, and plans to move with her husband to Texas.

City Commissioner Jim Rasor said he was concerned about not completing the investigation because the outcome could have shed light on how much authority a commissioner has on a committee.

"We have some allegations from employees that a commissioner interfered with their operations, directed them, bullied them," Rasor said. "I don't know if they are true or not. My fear is if we don't do anything about this then we don't learn anything from it. To me it has been about the lesson."

However, the commission voted to cancel the investigation.

Last August, Capello called for a special meeting to launch an ethics investigation into Rasor's plan to sell parking spots at the 2012 Arts, Beats & Eats. The parking lot in question was one the city had used to raise money for its festival expenses in 2011. Rasor was cleared of wrong doing because he didn't submit a finalized parking station application. The city ended up running the parking station again.